Pandan, Saffron & Butterfly Pea Dumplings with Custard

INGREDIENTS

Saffron infusion

• large pinch of saffron
• 200 ml boiling water

Butterfly pea infusion

• 2 tbsp dry butterfly pea flowers
• 200 ml boiling water

Pandan pancake batter

• 75 g wheat flour
• 125 ml pandan juice + pandan paste (1 tsp or more)
• ½ tsp baking soda + citric acid mix (3:2)

Saffron pancake batter

• 75 g wheat flour
• 125 ml saffron infusion
• ½ tsp baking soda + citric acid mix (3:2)

Butterfly pea pancake batter

• 75 g wheat flour
• 125 ml butterfly pea infusion
• ½ tsp baking soda + citric acid mix (3:2)

Pandan custard

• 1 egg
• 40 g sugar
• small pinch of salt
• 10 g corn starch
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 50 ml pandan juice + 1 tsp pandan paste

Butterfly pea custard

• 1 egg
• 40 g sugar
• small pinch of salt
• 10 g corn starch
• 50 ml coconut milk
• 50 ml butterfly pea infusion

METHOD

Saffron and butterfly pea infusions

Place the saffron and butterfly pea flowers in two separate glasses. Pour in the boiling water, stir and let it sit for about 30 min., until the liquids cool completely (they can be prepared the day before if you prefer). Strain the infusions through a fine sieve.

Pancake batter

The preparation of each colorful batter is similar. Mix the flour and pandan juice + paste (or butterfly pea infusion or saffron infusion) in a bowl. Whisk until smooth. The batter should have the consistency of slightly thick single cream. Add some more appropriate infusion or just water if needed. Mix in the baking soda and citric acid and set the batter aside to rest for 15 minutes.

CUSTARDS

Prepare custards in three separate bowls.

Combine the egg, sugar and salt in a bowl. Whisk until fluffy. Add the corn starch and whisk until well combined. Stir in the coconut milk and the pandan juice + paste (or saffron infusion or butterfly infusion). Transfer the mixture to a small saucepan and cook, stirring constantly, over a medium heat until the custard thickens. If needed, use a hand blender to beat any stubborn lumps. Leave the custards to cool completely.

FRY PANCAKES & MAKE DUMPLINGS

Heat the pan over a medium-low heat. Brush it with a drop of oil. Pour a large spoon of the butter onto the center of the pan and making the round moves with the spoon, form the batter into a circle of 8 cm in diameter. Once the pancake surface has just set, take it out of the pan (do not flip it over, just fry only one side).

Form a dumpling immediately. The warmer the pancake is the easier to stick the edges together. Put 2 tsp of the custard (different colour than the pancake is) onto the center of the pancake. Fold the pancake in half and stick the edges together forming a half-moon shape with the filling closed inside.

Repeat frying pancakes and making dumplings until the batter and custards are finished. Every time combine 2 different colours of batter and custard. Make sure the pan is slightly oiled before frying a next pancake.

NOTES:

We used homemade pandan juice and paste. To prepare the juice, cut up very finely 30 g pandan leaves and process them with 1 cup of water in a food processor to a pulp. Strain the juice through a muslin. The pandan juice is done.

To obtain a pandan paste, make another portion of juice (as much as you want), pour it into a jar, close with a lid and let it stand in the fridge for about 3 days. Decant the liquid carefully (you may find a dropping-tube or a syringe useful for this purpose). The sediment is your pandan paste.